"Spoiled five," the national amusement of her age and sex in Cork, scandal, the changes in the army list, the failures in speculation of her luckless husband, the forlorn fortunes of the girls, her daughters, kept her in occupation, and her days were passed in one perpetual, unceasing current of dissatisfaction and ill-temper with all around, that formed a heavy counterpoise to the fascinations of the young ladies.

The repeated jiltings to which they had been subject had blunted any delicacy upon the score of their marriage; and if the newly-introduced cornet or ensign was not coming forward, as became him, at the end of the requisite number of days, he was sure of receiving a very palpable admonition from Mrs.
Dalrymple.

Hints, at first dimly shadowed, that Matilda was not in spirits this morning; that Fanny, poor child, had a headache,--directed especially at the culprit in question,--grew gradually into those little motherly fondnesses in mamma, that, like the fascination of the rattlesnake, only lure on to ruin.

The doomed man was pressed to dinner when all others were permitted to take their leave; he was treated like one of the family, God help him! After dinner, the major would keep him an hour over his wine, discussing the misery of an ill-assorted marriage; detailing his own happiness in marrying a woman like the Tonga Islander I have mentioned; hinting that girls should be brought up, not only to become companions to their husbands, but with ideas fitting their station; if his auditor were a military man, that none but an old officer (like him) could know how to educate girls (like his); and that feeling he possessed two such treasures, his whole aim in life was to guard and keep them,--a difficult task, when proposals of the most flattering kind were coming constantly before him.
Then followed a fresh bottle, during which the major would consult his young friend upon a very delicate affair,--no less than a proposition for the hand of Miss Matilda, or Fanny, whichever he was supposed to be soft upon.

This was generally a _coup-de-maitre_; should he still resist, he was handed over to Mrs.Dalrymple, with a strong indictment against him, and rarely did he escape a heavy sentence.